With those four simple words, Lunenburg residents came together Sunday night, showing support for Isaac Phillips and his family, victims of a hate crime Friday.

And from the hundreds that filled the town common around its gazebo, it appears there are many hands willing to support the Lunenburg eighth-grader.

"The support is nice and we don't want to paint the entire town as racist," said Anthony Phillips, Isaac's father. "We want whoever is responsible to be caught."

People held candles and signs with supportive messages for the 13-year-old, whose home was spray-painted with a racial slur. Phillips also contends he was the target of other bullying during the course of the fall.

Phillips' father is black and his mother, Andrea Brazier, is white. Following the incident, the eighth-grade student expressed a desire to leave Lunenburg High School.

"I always wanted to be a Blue Knight," Phillips told the mass. "But with all that has happened, the coaches haven't reached out at all. It's a sad day to be a Blue Knight."

Both Phillips and his father expressed sadness that no members of the football team's coaching staff has said anything to the young man. The majority of the football team's players appeared Sunday night for the vigil.

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"I'm disappointed," Lunenburg senior Kristen Levasseur said. "The school's code of conduct hasn't been upheld. Never should a student have to feel unsafe."

Levasseur noted that while the actions against Phillips were reprehensible, they gave the town "an opportunity to rise above hate."

Thirteen-year-old Copper Mathews, who played football with Phillips in the past, described the victim as a "nice kid."

"It's pretty sad," Mathews said. "I hope we can find out who did this and be able to move on.

Mark Williams who has lived in Lunenburg for 24 years and has kids in the school system, puts his handprint on a banner at the gazebo in Lunenburg in support of Isaac Phillips on Sunday night.

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Rising above and moving on were two themes stressed throughout the evening. Girl Scout Troop leader Christie Blake said her girls organized the idea for a large cloth with "Many hands, one community" adorning it and encouraged people to leave a painted handprint to show support.

"We try to make the world a better place," Blake said. "To bring the community together and show the family this support is important because it could have been any family in this town."

Lunenburg resident and Universal Recording artist Breje Williams expressed his sincere apologies to the family. Williams, 16, is an anti-bullying activist who has talked at many schools about the perils of bullying.

"For me, to see this happen in my town, it's sad," Williams said.

Many hold candles at the ceremony at the Lunenburg gazebo in support of student Isaac Phillips on Sunday night. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE photos/ JOHN LOVE

"Being a minority member myself, it's heartbreaking to know that racism like this still exists, but things like this can bring change."

That hope was evident in the turnout, noted state Rep. Jen Benson, a Lunenburg resident.

"We've acted as a community in times of crisis before," Benson said. "We support each other, love each other and hold each other up."

"I don't want to be known as coming from a town where things like this happen," Lunenburg resident Barbara Hoos added.

"But I do want to be known for living in a community that can come together like this."

Earlier in the day, the Anti-Defamation League New England Region denounced the actions, but showed support for the way the community reacted. Since being founded in 1913, the ADL is an organization that fights anti-Semitism and hate with its programs and services.

"This brazen attack on the home of a high-school football player warrants everyone's condemnation," ADL Regional Director Robert Trestan said in a released statement.

"All of us should be disturbed by this case. Our children retreat to their homes every day because of the safety it offers. Too often, hate crimes shatter our communities' sense of safety.

"We applaud the Lunenburg police for making this case a top priority and are confident that the offenders will be quickly apprehended."

Lunenburg Selectmen Chairman Thomas Alonzo said the investigation is ongoing. Superintendent of Schools Loxi Jo Calmes added that "the individual or individuals responsible will be held accountable."

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